Matt Popchock

PITTSBURGH (93-7 THE FAN) — Paul Chryst is navigating Pitt through a time of both great excitement and great uncertainty, coming off another disappointing finish and coming into the powerful Atlantic Coast Conference, but you can count at least one Big East-era Panther legend among the undaunted.

The Talons flock to CONSOL Energy Center for Week 6 Arena Football League action Sunday afternoon, but these birds of prey had better be prepared to survive a dogfight if they wish to keep their 2013 season airborne.

PITTSBURGH (93-7 THE FAN) — I’m not a betting man, though I could certainly use the money. So what are the odds of the Pittsburgh Power finding a dependable quarterback before Spinal Tap finds a dependable drummer?

One game is all that separates neighborhood rivals Mount Lebanon (22-3) and Bethel Park (23-3). It’s all that separated them in the AAAA-Sec. 4 girls’ basketball standings, and it’s all that separated the Blue Devils from a shot at another district crown.

PITTSBURGH (93-7 THE FAN) — One of the most common knocks against Jamie Dixon is he doesn’t think outside his own metaphorical box, insisting all the basketball world’s problems can be solved by simply boxing out. Imagine the surprise of his critics when, together, he and the Panthers did both.

PITTSBURGH (93-7 THE FAN) — National Letter of Intent Day for major college football was a good one for Pitt, especially when Tyler Boyd joined its 27-man recruiting class, and fellow WPIAL superstar Dorian Johnson, another incoming Panther, saw it coming.

CLAIRTON (93-7 THE FAN) — When Clairton senior Tyler Boyd signed his letter of intent Wednesday morning, Paul Chryst officially got an out-of-this-world local talent. In fact, it sounds like Chryst is willing to go outside his own world to best utilize that talent.

CLAIRTON (93-7 THE FAN) — It was senior athlete Tyler Boyd who originally got “Bout Dat,” part of a lyric by rapper Gucci Mane, trending on Twitter as the slogan of Clairton High School’s historic football team. If he has his way again, he’ll get “#ACCChamps” trending as well.

PITTSBURGH (93-7 THE FAN) — There are players on Jamie Dixon’s bench who, conceivably, could start for a number of Division I teams, and conventional wisdom says J.J. Moore is one. Should Dixon shake things up at forward?